New Taipei Xinzhuang Xianguang Bing

Xinzhuang Xianguang Bing is a savory baked bun handed down for over a century on the temple street of New Taipei's Xinzhuang District — round, hole-punched, sesame-topped, and salted, with a texture between Taiwanese bread and a bagel. It is said to trace back to military rations of Ming dynasty general Qi Jiguang, and in Xinzhuang it is closely tied to temple procession culture, where strings of the biscuits are hung on divine generals' shoulders and distributed to worshippers as "peace biscuits." The representative shop, Laoshunxiang Bakery, was founded in 1870 and is now run by its fourth generation, over 150 years later.

Laoshunxiang Bakery was founded in 1870 during the Qing Tongzhi era and is now run by fourth-generation owner Wang Ming-chao, over 150 years later; it has been named a Best Souvenir by the New Taipei City Government. Its signature pineapple cakes and xianguang bing are both hand-pressed using wooden molds passed down through the family.

What is Xianguang Bing?

Xianguang bing is a round, hole-punched, sesame-topped biscuit made from salted dough baked to a firm finish. The texture falls between Taiwanese bread and a bagel — the crust has a slight chewiness, the interior is dense, the salt is subtle, and the flour aroma stands out, making it less heavy than a sweet pastry. Xianguang bing plays a distinct role in Taiwanese folk tradition — during major religious festivals or deity processions, worshippers string xianguang bing onto divine generals' shoulders, calling them "peace biscuits" or "xianguang bing strings," distributed by the temple to worshippers and children along the route as a symbol of protection.

Xianguang bing is said to have originated as field rations for the Ming dynasty general Qi Jiguang, valued for its portability and long shelf life. In Xinzhuang, the representative shop is Laoshunxiang Bakery, which has been in business since 1870 — over 150 years and four generations, making it one of the oldest pastry shops on Xinzhuang Old Street. Laoshunxiang's xianguang bing has won New Taipei City's Best Souvenir award and is an inseparable part of Xinzhuang's temple street culture. Along Xinzhuang Road from Guangfu Temple to Ciyou Temple, the density of temples is extremely high, and xianguang bing is tightly interwoven with temple culture including the Dazhong Lord procession and Guanjiang Shou troupe, making it a rare street food that bridges religious folk tradition and everyday eating.

How to eat it like a local

Local knowledge

Information compiled from the Michelin Guide, New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau, and large volumes of public reviews, with sponsored content filtered out. Photos will be replaced with exclusive channel footage after Dio's on-site shoot.